FAQs     FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

About the program

How does the K-Care curriculum at CDC differ from the preschool program?
We strive to give the kindergarteners at CDC the feeling that they have their own program here, though it is meshed with the preschool program. Kindergarteners have their own space, have toys, games and activities which are appropriate to (and reserved for) the school age kids, and engage in more involved and long-term projects. Our group activites often relate to the topics currently being covered in their kindergarten classes at school. We are also able to arrange for more field trips for the kindergarteners.

Our kindergarteners get the chance to be the oldest kids at CDC and the leaders in the building. Not only does this provide some relief from being the youngest (at school), but it gives our kindergarteners the chance to be teachers' helpers with the younger children. In this sense, it mirrors the "big buddies" program at Burns Park, and gives the kindergarteners the opportunity to be big buddies themselves. This kind of relationship between age groups has always been an important part of our open school philosophy, and our kindergarteners can benefit from the experience of being mentors as well as students.

How does the K-Care program at CDC differ from K-Care at Burns Park?
While the philosophy and many elements of the program remain the same, there are some important differences between the two programs. Kindergarteners in K-Care at Burns Park remain the youngest children at the school; if they need to stay beyond 3:30 they will join kids from all grades in the afternoon Kids' Club. Kindergarteners at CDC become the oldest kids at the center, and have a number of opportunities to be teachers' helpers and "big buddies" to the little kids. Care at CDC extends to 5:30pm without a change in the program or the environment. We are also able to offer full-day care to our kindergarteners during scheduled school vacations (besides the Christmas-New Years period) when CDC is open. Finally, because we do have more time at our disposal, field trips of interest to the older kids can be scheduled more often.

More coming soon.